Every four years, the sports world and community is presented with the luxury of enjoying the Olympic Games. Athletes from over 180 different countries come together to compete within their respective sports and events, leaving everything they can out on the biggest international stage. Olympic athletes work year after year to even qualify for the event itself, and sometimes the years of hard work all come down to a few seconds of main-stage spotlight. Olympians compete against the best athletes in the world on the biggest stage, making the emotional and physical effects of such pressure even more worthy of appreciation and acknowledgement.
Olympic Basketball:
Amongst the many sports that we enjoy watching during the Olympics, many find basketball to be the most interesting of the batch. This may not be surprising given my quite clear-cut obsession with the sport and everything it entails, but I believe that the discussion of Olympic basketball is one that should always spark interest amongst fans of the game.
When discussing the National Basketball Association, it is standard procedure for fans and critics to consider all accomplishments and accolades that take place within the United States, given that the league is national. However, the Olympics and players’ performances on the Olympic stage are the only international competition that I see being discussed and evaluated by members of the basketball community.
Team USA stands far ahead of all competition with regards to experiencing basketball success at the Olympics. It is no debate that the juggernaut nation produces some of the best basketball talent in the world, and the 2024 Team USA Men’s roster is a perfect testament to that notion.
Team USA's Story in 2024:
The following was Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Tyrese Haliburton.
The talent on this team cannot be doubted, and such a high level of star-power on a roster being coached by legends Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, Tyronn Lue and company is a scary sight for competitors. Despite Team USA’s entire roster deserving love and appreciation for their capabilities, I find the team clearly to be led by one of the greatest trios we have ever had the privilege of witnessing.
The big three:
LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant played on the same team for the first and probably only time ever. The Team USA storyline that was writing itself leading up to and throughout this Olympic campaign was one for the ages – ex-rival fan bases coming together to appreciate greatness before it's too late. The three aforementioned all-time players are nearing the end of their careers, which is a realization that basketball fans all around the world have started to face. For once, I found it quite easy and very enjoyable to forget about past tension, rivalries, and history, and simply enjoy one of the greatest basketball rosters ever assembled as they fought their way to the title.
USA’s big three led the squad to the gold-medal game, and walked away from the bout victorious. They defeated the host country, France, by 11 points, with a final score of 98–87. Many of the USA players performed well within their roles to help the squad achieve the success that they did. However, the big three were the players who were taking over games when needed, taking hold of the reins and showing their teammates, opponents, and fans exactly why they are to be treated as the best of the best. Stopping LeBron, Steph, or KD when on their own is an unbelievably difficult task. For this reason, it is quite clear how attempting to contain a team with all three of them playing together, whilst representing their country, might be one of the most difficult tasks in the history of this sport.
Tournament Statistics:
LeBron James finished the tournament averaging 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game, on 24.5 minutes played. He finished with shooting splits of 66% from the field, 31% from the 3-point line, and 73% from the free-throw line. His +/- for the ‘24 Olympics stands at +14.
Stephen Curry wrapped up the ‘24 Olympics with averages of 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.7 steals per game, on 23.3 minutes played. He finished with shooting splits of 50% from the field, 48% from 3, and 100% from the charity stripe. His +/- for the tournament stands at +14.3.
Kevin Durant finished off the tournament with averages of 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1 steal and 0.2 blocks per game, on 22.2 minutes played. He finished with shooting splits of 54% from the field, 52% from the 3-point line, and 94% from the free-throw line. His +/- for the ‘24 Olympics stands at +14.
